I lived in a really, really lousy part of the city for quite a while...

In truth, society has given up on these places (maybe rightly so, I don't know)...

Ever heard about the relation of Iran-Contra to the '80s crack epidemic?

Money spent on drugs is still money spent. And drug money buys goods and services, whether necessities or luxuries. And the negative social and personal effects drive increased cop budgets, more better prisons, rehab facilities, gun sales, political contributions and campaigns, movies & videos, medical facilities & their employees, etc. Flooding a neighborhood with illegal drugs is a great way to milk it for all it's worth.

It's all about circulating money. There's a lot of money in poor neighborhoods, and a lot of money to be made "helping" the poor and keeping you "safe" from them. But by no means will we eliminate poverty by distributing wealth more equally: our entire way of life would collapse.

monster_teef:When you live in a shiatty neighborhood where the police like to take their sweet time responding even if they know somebody is being murdered a block or 2 away, you quickly get a grasp on just how much bad can happen in 60 seconds. When I lived in L.A. I was targeted for murder by local gang members and lived through the home invasion because I owned a target pistol (a relic of a time when I wasn't poor) that I had the presence of mind to bring to bear against the 4 men forcing their way into my home.

It's astounding to see people who have never experienced this type of poverty or violence loudly opining on why it's a bad idea to enable people who are stuck in bad neighborhoods but legally allowed to own firearms the means to defend themselves. The bulk of you have exactly ZERO life experience that would make you qualified to have a valid opinion on this topic, let alone tell people how they should live their lives or protect themselves from the criminals element that they don't have the means to escape.

It's even stupider than this article is saying. It's a failed AW politician who wants to hand out single shot shotguns to a neighborhood he has no affiliation with and don't even want the guns in the first place.

What a genius plan by NRA and right wing authorities. Give poor people and minorities free guns to kill each other off.

Everyone profits:The prison industry will boomHospitals and big pharma will triple their businessMortuary businessesAnd police will have plenty of things to do. And more opportunities to try out their toys.